African Leaders Urged To Promote Inclusive Governance

Speaker of the National Assembly of Côte d’Ivoire, Patrick Achi, and former Malawian President, Joyce Banda, have called on emerging African leaders to promote inclusive governance and develop the character, competence and capacity needed to address the continent’s development challenges.

They made the call yesterday in Abuja at the 2026 graduation of the School of Politics, Policy and Governance (SPPG), an institution established to prepare a new generation of political leaders in Africa.

The event was themed: “Breaking the Monopoly: Building Nigeria’s New Political Leadership Pipeline.”

Achi said Africa needed quality leadership capable of translating its abundant natural and human resources into improved living conditions for its citizens.

He noted that despite the continent’s vast mineral deposits and human capital, many African countries continued to grapple with development challenges that required effective leadership and active citizen participation.

The Ivorien leader described leadership development as critical to strengthening governance and promoting sustainable development, expressing optimism that equipping aspiring leaders with the requisite knowledge and skills would improve their contributions to public service and community development.

He commended the SPPG for bridging knowledge gaps and preparing emerging leaders to understand governance challenges and develop practical solutions.

Achi urged the graduates to regard leadership as a responsibility to serve the people and advance the common good.

Similarly, Banda called for greater participation of women in political leadership and governance, warning that Africa could not afford to build its future using only half of its talent.

She urged women to seek leadership positions and participate actively in decision-making rather than wait for invitations into political spaces.

According to her, women are often mobilised to support political movements but sidelined when positions of influence and decision-making are allocated.

“Too often, women have been told, directly or indirectly, that politics is no place for them. Even when they enter, they encounter structures and practices that make participation and advancement unnecessarily difficult.

“Too often, women are mobilised, relied upon and used to build political movements, only to be pushed aside when positions of influence and decision-making are allocated,” she said.

The former president called for a more inclusive political leadership system that would create opportunities for women, young people, professionals and reformers, irrespective of their political backgrounds.

She stressed that political leadership should not be restricted to established networks that perpetuate the same individuals and practices.

“Women belong in the room where decisions are made. You belong in public institutions, you belong in political parties, you belong in parliament. You belong in executive leadership and wherever the future of your communities and countries is being decided.

“Africa cannot afford to build its future using only half of its talent. It is like trying to walk with one leg; you cannot get far,” Banda said.

She added that Africa’s natural and human resources could be harnessed for sustainable development if leaders demonstrated the character, competence and capacity required to address the continent’s challenges.

Banda also commended the SPPG for equipping aspiring leaders with the knowledge and skills to understand governance issues and develop practical solutions.

Earlier, the founder of the School of Politics, Policy & Governance (SPPG) and former Nigerian Minister of Education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, congratulated the graduating students and challenged them to apply their knowledge to improve political leadership and governance.

Ezekwesili disclosed that the institution had graduated more than 1,000 students across Nigeria, Senegal and Kenya since its establishment in 2021.

She said the school would continue to monitor its graduates and could revoke their certificates if they failed to uphold the values and standards it represents.

According to her, the programme was designed to address two major challenges in public leadership: inadequate character and insufficient policy competence.

“We told you that the greatest gap in Africa, other than the issue of a lack of character in public leadership, is the absence of competencies that would enable people to think through policies in the right way.

“So, we taught you a multidisciplinary programme. With the intentionality with which the curriculum was designed, we raise a different kind of leader who can enter the arena and completely stand their ground,” she said.

The overall best graduating student, Merit Ayigbe, expressed the gratitude of the 2026 graduating class to the founder, management and faculty of the institution.

Ayigbe commended fellow graduates for their commitment to the programme and acknowledged the support of their families throughout their studies.

He pledged that the graduating class would work collectively to contribute to the development of Nigeria and the African continent.

The ceremony also featured musical performances by young Nigerian saxophonist Temilayo Abodunrin and spoken-word artist Esinet Kolade